Rotation-counter.



J. S. STULL.

ROTATION COUNTER.

APPLICATION HLED AUGAG. 1916.

Patented Apr. 16,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. S. STULL.

ROTATION COUNTER.

APPLICATION mam Aucmfi. x918.

Patented Apr. 16, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTA'rEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STANLEY STULL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COM- PANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RoTATIoN-COUNTER.

Application filed August 16, 1916.

To o]] 'clio/n. it may cw'ufcrn:

le it known that l,Jo1rN S r.-\N1.1.Y STULL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago. in the county of Cook and State of Illinois. have invented certain new and usefulv .lniprovements in Rotation-Counters, of which the following is a full, clear, concise and exactdescription.

This invention relatcs to rotation counters, and lnore particularly to counters of this type adapted for use in connection with automatic winding machines for counting the number of turns of wire being,` wound on a spool.

Une object of the invention is to provide a device capable of withstanding` the wear and tear incident to a very high speed of rotat-ion of the driving' member. Another object to provide a device which shall Z 'ive accurate reading's under said conditions of high speed rotation. A further object is to provide a device` the readings of which shall be clear to the operator despite the continuous movement of the parts. n additional object is to provide a device of this charaeter of generally simplified construction and one lendingl itself to econolnical manufacture.

In general, the construction eomprises a base on which two concentric dials are rotatahly mounted. One dial is marked with digits representing the units and tens orders and the other dial is marked with digits representingthe hundreds and thousands orders. The dials are positively driven by a ditl'erential connection from a suitable shaft. A cover plate is arranged over the dials and is provided with a sight opening through which the digits on the dials are visible. Suitable cam mechanism is provided to move the cover plate back and forth. The arrangement is such that both dials travel continuously in the same direction at different rates of speed. The cover plate and hence the Sight openings move with the digits of the hundreds thousands orders during one complete rotation of the units and tens dial after which said cover plate is returned abruptly to initial position.

A device embodying the various features of the iuvention is shown in the accompanying' drawings in which:

Figure l is a plan view;

Specification of Letters Patent.

'winding machine.

Patonted Apr. 16, 1918.

Serial No. 115,204.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on plane 2-2, Fig'. 1;

Flet 3 is a sectional view on plane 3-3 Fig. 2;

Filet 1 is a sectional view on plane 4-4 F1g. 2;

Flg. 5 is an enlargcd sectional view on plane 5 5, Fig. 3;

Fiat (S is a sectional view on plane 6-6, 1`ig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a latch member;

Flg. 8 is an enlarged Vertical sectional view on plane` o Fig, 3, of one of the terminal gears forming p-art of the device;

Fig. is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view on plane .3-5, Fig. 3, showing another driven member;

Fig. ll is a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 10, the section being taken at another diametml plane, and

Fig. 18 is a sectional view on plane 13-13, Fig. 12.

The supp-rting structure for the device is in the form of a base 1 preferably of metal. which has a pivot stud 2 secured at its lower end thercin and extending upwardly therefrom at right angles with the top, the bottom of the base being preferably inclined so that when the basel is resting on its bottom the top will be inclined. The block has a chamber 3 concentric with the pivot stud for aecommodating the worm wheel 4, a raised seat 5 forming a bearing for the gear hub. Extending transversely through the base and journaled therein is a drive shaft 6 carrying a worm 7 which meshes with the worm wheel. one end of the worm shaft extending from the base so as to be coupled with a suitable driving element, such for example, as an automatic Surrounding the chamber 3 is an annular seat having horizontal and Vertical walls, 8, 9, which hold the annular internal gear 10 concentric with reference to the pivot stud 2. The internal gear is prevented from rotating by means of one or more screws 11. An apertured disk 12 is mounted concentrically on the worm Wheel 4 by means of screws 18. Its

outer edge is beveled and provided with notches 14, there being one hundred such notches in the structure shown.

Securcd to and extending upwardly from the worm wheel near its outer edge is a pivot stud 15 carrying a gear pimon 16, a pocket 17 being provided in the worm gear for the pinion and the disk 12 having an opening 18 through which the pmion extends.

Above the disk 12 and concentric therewith is the annular internal gear 18'. This gear is secured by screws 19 to the under side of a circular disk 20, which surrounds a reduced section of the knob structure 21, the latter surrounding the upper end of the pivot stud 2. A nut 22 engaging with the threadcd lower end of the knob structure clamps the disk 20 against a shoulder 23 o n the knob structure. The knob structure is cored out to form a chamber for the compression spring 24 which abuts against the under side of the head 25 on the pivot stud and the abutment collar 26. The bottom of the spring chamber has an annular groove 27 forming a runway for bearing balls 28 supporting the collar 26. The p1 vot stud being secured to the base 1, the sprmg will tend to force the knob structure and the disk 20 secured thereto downwardly to hold the internal gear 18' against the disk 12.

The cylindrical outer surface of the gear 18I forms a continuation of the outer surface of the disk 20 and at its lower end said gear has an annular flange 29. Surrounding the disk 20 and gear 18' is the annular dial member 30, the lower part of this member being enlarged to receive the flange 29 on the gear 18'. At its lower inner corner the member 30 is beveled away to correspond with the beveled outer edge of the disk 12 carried by the worm wheel. At one point the dial member 30 has a Vertical pocket 31 for the pin 32 whose tongue 33 normally projects into one of the notches in the disk 12 in order that themember 30 will rotate with the disk 12 and the worm wheel. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, a small rectangular annular clearance space 34 is formed whose function will appear later.

As the worm wheel turns, the pinion 16, by engaging with the fixed gear 10, is rotated and communicates rotation to the gear 18'. However, av-difl'erential relationship exists, the gear 10 having a greater number of teeth than the gear 18'. In the construction shown the gearv 10l has one hundred and one teeth andithe gear 18' has one hundred teeth so that for every revolution of the worm Wheel and of the dial member 30 which travels therewith, the gear 18' and the'disk 20 to which it is secured, Will rotate only a distance of one tooth or one one-hundredth of a revolution. As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the digits indicatlng the units and tens orders appear on the upper side of dial member 30 and the digits of the hundreds and thousands orders appear on the disk 20. The two sets-of digits are adjacent to each other and each set rangcs from 00 to 99. In other words, the range is from 0 to 10,000.

In Fig.l3 the arrangement of the indicating numerals on the dials is clearly shown, and Figs. 1 and 2 show the arrangement and control of the cover plate or Sight disk 35 which has the radial sight opening 36. Said plate rests on top of the dial members 20 and 30 but may be slid back and forth in a direction at right angles with the sight opening and for a distance equal to the distance between adjacent indicating numbers on the dials. The cover plate has an opening 37 for receiving the reduced section 38 of the knob or handle 21, the hole being of larger diameter than this section to permit shifting of the disk. The shoulder 39 on the knob holds said cover plate against Vertical displacement. To further guide said plate, pins 40 and 41 extend upwardly from the base 1 through slots 42 and 43 therein. The shifting of the plate is accomplished by the engagement of a pin 44 with the cam edge 45 on the dial member 30, the pin extending downwardly from the plate. The cam surface extends spirally and its throw is equal to the distance between successive numbers on the dials. As the outer dial revolves, the cover plate will be shifted accordingly, to cause the Sight opening to follow an indication on the inner dial 20 until the end of one revolution of the outer dial, the pin 44, at the end of said revolution, being shifted back to the beginning of the cam 45 and the Sight disk being shifted back to normal position to restore the sight opening to the normal Sight line. The spring 46 secured to the back of the base 1 presses at its upper end against the extension 47 on the Sight disk and tends to shift the disk to hold the pin in firm engagement with the cam surface. The sight disk is therefore the transfer member for carrying over from the unitstens indications to the hundreds-thousands indications. Normally the sight disk is down and the indications 00, 00 are in register with the sight opening. When the tens units dial revolves the indications 01, 02, etc., come successively into register with the sight opening and the cam mechanism shifts the sight disk to cause the Sight opening to follow the 00' indication on the hunpreds-thousands dial which travels'only Th; as fast as the tens-units dial. When the crest 48 of the cam is under the pin 44 the sight disk will have been shifted its entire distance with the sight opening still in register with the hundreds-thousands, indications 00. 'l`he unitstous dial will be practically at the end of its revolution with its indication 90 in register with the sight slot. Then when the pin is released from the end of the cam surface, the sight disk is shifted by the spring 46 to bring the sight opening back to the normal sight line and the indication will be 01. During the next revolution of the tens-ul'iits-dial, the sight opening will follow the indication 01, and the tens-units dial will bring the indication 01 to 99 successively into the sight opening, and at the end of a revolution the sight opening will be dropped back to the normal sight line to indicate 02. Thus the hundreds-thousands order indications will always be visible while the units-tens indications are being carried past the sight opening and the operator can readily observe at any time how many rcvolut1ons have been made by the drive shaft 6 which is connected with the winding or other machine. i

Re-setting of the dials to zero position is accomplished by raising the knob 21 and turning it until the normal positions are reached. As the dial 20 and its driving gear 18' are secured tothe knob structure by the nut 22, raising of the latter will liftthem. On account of the clearance space 34 the dial member 30 will not follow immediately but after the clearance space has been taken up, said dial will be carried upwardly by the flange 29 and the pin 31 will be released from the notched disk 12. The knob 21 can be raised until the 'ledge e19 abuts against the head 25 of the pivot stud 2, the permissible Vertical movement of the knob being sufiicient to bring the gear 18' above and out of engagement with the gear pinion 16. Therefore, when the knob is raised, the hiindreds-thousands dial member will be disengaged from its driving pinion 16 and the unitsstens dial member will be disengaged from its driving| disk 12. The knob is now turned and the dial members are brought back to normal position.

To limit the re-setting movement, latching members are provided as shown in F igs. 5, 8 and 9, a latch pin 50 being arranged radially in the gear 18' and projecting upwardly a certain distance from ledge 29 into clearance space 34. In the dial member 30, there is a radial notch 51 which is vertically above the latch pin 50 when the zero indieations on the dial members are in radial alinement. 'When the dial structure 20 is first raised by the knob structure after a eounting operation, the top of the latch pin 50 will engage with the overhanging wall of the dial member 30 at a point away from the notch 51, and when the dial members are relatively rotated, the pin eventually drops into the notch, the clearance space 34 is entirely eliminated, and the dial members are locked together with their Zero indications in alinement, and the locked dial members are then rotated until the zero indications are in the normal sight line in register with the sight opening. To facilitate accurate re-setting to the sight opening, the latch mechanism best shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11 is provided. A bore 52 extending radially through the base 1 from one side thereof contains a latch bar 53, this bar being guided at its inner end in the passageway 54 and at its outer end by the plug 55 which screw threads into the hore outer end. The inner end 56 of the bar normally projects into the space 57 between the base 1 and the cylindrical side of the dial member 30. The lower edge of .the end 56 is beveled as clearly shown to coperate with the outer beveled corner of the annular ledge 58 extending from the dial member 30 below the end A compression spring 59 between the plug 55 and the collar 60 on the bar tends to hold the bar inwardly with the end 56 in the space 57. The ledge has the notch 61 adapted to be brought into position below the bar end 56 when the dial member 30 is rotated. Normally, that is, when the zero indications of the dials are in register with the sight opening, this notch 61 is below the end 56.0f the latch bar, and as soon as the disks rotate the notch will move away from the bar so that. when the knob is raised for re-setting operation the beveled corner of ledge 58 will encounter the beveled bar end 56 and the bar will be shifted away, and when the dial members have been raised the full vertical distance by the knob the ledge 58 will be in front of the bar end. Then when the dial member 30 is rotated the notch 61 is brought into register with the bar end and the bar is released and shifted by its spring into the notch and further turning of the dial disk is prevented, the disk being then in position with its zero indications under the sight opening. Wlhen the knob is raised and turned to rotate the dials, the dial 30 may be caughtby the latch bar 53 before it is locked to the dial member 20 by the pin and notch 50 and 51, or the dial 30 may first be locked to the other dial structure and then to the base. In either case turning of the knob until stopped by the latches will result in re-setting of the dia] members with their zero indications in the normal line of sght. under the sight opening, and when the knob is then released, the spring 24 will push the dial structures down in their normal position with the gear 18 in mesh with the pinion 16 and the dial 30 rengaged by pin 32 with the notched disk 13, this disk remaining stationary during the re-setting operation. During a re-setting operation, the sight disk is also raised but is prevented from rotating by the pins 40 and 41, and during re-setting the beginning of the cam surface will be brought back to the pm 44 to bring the sight opening back to the normal `s'ight line.

What is claimed is:

1. rotation counter. comprising a plurality of'dials, a movable member havinga sight opening therein through which said dials are visible. and means acting concurrentlv with one of said dials for moving said inember to cause said Sight opening to travel with another of said dials.

:2. In a device of the class described, the combination with two dial inembers one bearing numbers of one decimal order an d the other bearing numbers of a higher decimal order. means for moving the dial member with 'lower decimal order indieations thereon faster than the other dial member, a plate having a Sight. opening, means controlled by the dial member with the lower decimal order indications thereon for moving said plate at a rate to remain in regislration for periods of time with successive indications on the other dial member and to be shifted back into registration with a suceeeding indication in order to `arry over fr'om the lower order dial member to the higher order dial member.

3. The combination with two dia-l meinbers having decimal order indications' thereon, of means for causing one of said members to travel faster than the other, carrying mechanism comprising 'a plate with a .Sight opening and means Controlled by one of said members to shift the plate to cause the sight opening to travel a predetermined distance with Successive indications on the other member.

-l. The combination with .two dial members, of means for causing one of Said members to travelv faster than the other, a Sight plate havingfa Sight opening, and cam mechanism controlled by one of Said members to Shift said plate a predetermined distance with each successive indication on the other member to 'arry over the decimal indications from one member to the other.

5. In combination, two concentric dial disks one of which has dial indications thereon of higher decimal order than the other, means for rotating the lesser order dial disk faster than the higher order dial disk. a plate having a sight opening through which the dial indications may be observed, andv means for moving said plate to hold the Sight opening in registration for a certain period for each successive indication on the higher order dial disk and for restoring it after each such movement to bring the Sight opening into registration with the following indication.

6. In combination, two concentric dials one having indications of one decimal order thereon and the other having decimal indications of a higher 'order thereon, means for causiug the lower order dial to travel faster than the higher order dial, a plate over said dials having a sight opening through which the dial imlicatious` may beI observed, a

` spring tending to hold the. plate with the sightopening iu a normal sight line, and cam mechauism controlled by the lower order dial for shit'ting Isaid plate to cause 15 the Sight opening to remain in registration for a predeterulined distance with each indication on the higher order dial and to re- I lcase the plate. after Such Shift to permit the spring to restore. it to carry the sight opening back to the normal Sight line in registration with the succecding higher order indications whereby to carry over from the lower order indications to the higher order indications.

7. In combination, two concentric dials one having indications thereon of a low decimal order and the other having i-ndio ations thereon of a higher decimal order, means for ca using said higher order dial to rotate only one one-hundredth of a revolution for each complete revolution of the low order dial, a Sight plate over said dialS having a Sight opening for registering with w said indications, and means for successively 96' moving said plate the distance between two higherorder indications and for restoring the plate after each such movement whereby the Sight opening will remain in registration with each indication on the higher order `100 disk during such movement and shifted back after such movement to be in registration with the following indication whereby carryover is etfected from the low orders to the higher orders.

8."In counting mechanism of the class described, the combination of two concentric dial disks having decimal indications adjacent their contiguous edges. indications on the outer dial disk being of a lower decimal order and those on the inner disk of a higher decimal order, differential gearing mechanism for rotating the outer dial disk faster than the inner dial disk at a rate proportional to the difference in decimal orders of the respective disks, a sight plate over said disks having a Sight opening through which the disk indications may be observed, a Spring tending to hold said plate in normal position With the Sight opening in a normal Sight line, said outer dial disk having a cam surface, and a pin extending from Said plate into engagement 'with said cam surface, said cam mechanism and spring cooperating to Shift the plate to cause the Sightopening to remain in registration for a fixed period with each higher order indication and to be shifted back after each periodtto restore the Sight opening to the normal sight line in registration with the 13 succeeding higher order indication whereby carry-over is effected from the lower order to the higher order.

9. In counter mechanism, the combination of a supporting base, a pivot stud extending upwardly therefrom, a driving member supported in said base andl journaled on said pivot stud, an inner dial member adapted to rotate about said pivot Stud, an outer dial 10 member also arranged to rotate about said pivot Stud, said inner dial member having 1nd1cations thereon of a higher decimal order and said outer dial member having indications of a lower decimal order, differential gearing mechanism connecting said dial members with said driving member to cause said outer dial member to travel faster than the inner dial member in a ratio proportional to the ratio between the low and high order indications, and a plate over said dial members having a sight opening through which the indications may be read as the dial members rotate.

10. In counter'mechanism, the combination of a supporting base, a pivot stud extending upwardly therefrom, a driving member supported in said base and journaled on said pivot stud, an inner dial member 'adapted to rotate about said pivot stud, an 80 outer dial member also arranged to rotate about said pivot stud, said inner dial member having indications thereon of a higher decimal order and said outer dial member p having indications of a lower decimal order, 35 diferential gearing mechanism connecting said dial members with said driving member to cause said outer dial member to travel faster than the inner dial member in a ratio Proportional to the ratio between' the low and high order indications, a plate shiftable on said dial members and having a Sight opening for registering With indications on the dial members, means Controlled by the outer dial member for shifting said plate to cause the sight opening to follow and to remain in'full registration with each higher order indication, and means for restoring the plate after each such shift and to bring the sight opening into registration with the 50 succeedin higher order. indication, said shifting sight opening serving to carry-over from the lower to the higher indications.

11. A rotation counter of the type described, comprising' a supporting base, a

Eivot stud carried thereby, a driving memer rotatably mounted on said Stud, a plurality of concentric dials, the faces of which normally lie in the same plane, the outer dial being detachably connected to said 00 driving member, 'diflerential gearing con--- vnecting the inner dial with said driving member whereby said inner dial may be rotated slower than said outer dial, means for moving said inner dial out of engage- 05 ment with said gearing, means whereby such disengaging movement of said inner dial causes said outer dial to be moved out of engagement with said driving member, and means Whereby said innerl and outer dials may be rotated back' to normal position after they have been disengaged from said differential gearing and said driving member respectively.

12. A rotation counter of the type described, comprising a supporting base, a pivot stud carried thereby, a driving member rotatably mounted on said stud, a plurality of concentric dials, the outer one of which is detachably connected to said driving member and adapted to rotate therewith, differential gearing connecting the inner dial with said driving member whereby said inner dial is rotated slower than said outer dial, means for lifting said inner dial out of engagement with said diiferential gearing and for resetting said dial, and abutments on said inner and outer dials for causing' said outer dial to be raised with the inner dial .and to be disconnected from said driving member whereby both of said dials may be set simultaneously.

13. A rotation counter comprising a supporting base, a pivot stud mounted thereon,

a driving member journaled on said stud and having peripheral notches, an outer dial, .a projection thereon adapted to engage with said notches whereby said dial is normally rotated with said driving member, 'an inner dial, gearing normally connecting said inner dial with said driving member whereby said inner dial is rotated slower than the outer dial, means for moving said inner dial out of engagement With said gearing, means whereby the disengagement of said inner dial causes said outer dial to be moved to withdraw said projection from said notches to thereby disconnect said outer dial from said driving member, and means Whereby said dials may be rotated back to normal position after they have been disengaged from said driving member.

14. A rotation counter comprising a supporting base, a pivot stud mounted thereon,

a driving member journaled on said stud and having eripheral notches, an outer dial, aprojection thereon adapted to engage with said notches whereby said dial is normally rotated With said driving member, an inner dial, gearing normally connecting said inner dial with said driving member whereby said inner dial is rotated slower than the outer dial, means for moving said inner dial out of engagement with said gearing, means whereby the disengagement of said inner dial causes said outer dial to belb moved-to withdraw said projection from said' notches to thereby disconnect said outer dial from said driving member, means whereby said dials may be rotated back to normal position after they have beenl disengaged fromsaid driving member, and means for preventing a reconnection of said dials With said driving member after said dials have been disengaged therefrom and before the same have been restored to. normal, but permitting such reconnection after said dials have been rotated back to normal.

15. A rotation counter of the type described, comprising a supporting) base, a Eivot stud carried thereby, a driving memer rotatably mounted on said stud, a plurality of concentric dials, the faces of which normaily lie in the same plane, the outer dial being detachabiy connected to said driving member, differential gearing connecting the inner dial With said driving member whereby said inner dial may be rotated slower than said outer dial, means for moving said inner dial out of engagement with said gearing, means whereby such disengaging movement of 'said inner dial causes said outer dial to be moved out of engagement with said driving member, means Whereby said inner and outer dials may be rotated back to normal position after they have been disengaged from said differential earing and said driving member respective y, and means for preventing a reconnection of said dials with said gearing and said driving member` after the same has been disengaged therefrom and before said dials have been restored to normal, but permitting` such reconnection after said dials have been restored to normal.

In witness whereof, I vhereunto Subscribe my name this 8th day of August, A. D.

JOHN STANLEY STULL. 

